Author's Note: I do not own Matt or Jeff Hardy, nor am I in any way
affiliated with Titan Entertainment, WWE, or any of its subsidiaries. This
story is strictly for entertainment purposes.
TRAGEDY
Chapter 6: A Sleepless Night
The rest of the night had been quiet. Jeff found the calm eerie; He hadn't expected it. Didn't the whole know his brother was dead? In a pair of sweatpants, Jeff laid atop the covers. There was a chill in the room, but he was invigorated by it. His arms laid crossed above his head across the pillow, exposing the length of his torso to the briskness. Occasionally, a breeze from the open window across the room would whisper across his bare chest and send goose bumps running down his body.
Beside him a sigh broke through the night symphony of rustling leaves, chirping crickets and the hum of the electric lamps that lined the street. He turned his head slightly to see that Kelly was fast asleep beside him. His head moved back to its original position and he gazed once again at the ceiling above him. Kelly's emotions had been drained today. She was so exhausted when they finally lay upon the bed; she had fallen asleep in mere minutes. However, Jeff could not relax is mind. He wondered at the day's events. It was as if he was playing the whole day over in his head. Some moments slowed down and he could picture every minute detail of the room's surroundings, every inflection in each sentence, the feel of every touch. When the phone rang early that morning, even before he picked up the receiver, Jeff had known that he would remember this day always.
He looked toward the door to the hallway. Samantha's room was down the hall. He wondered if sleep had found her yet. She needed it desperately. His heart feared for her well being. The last hour had been better; she had spoken, even smiled a bit. It was nowhere near the upbeat, strong-willed woman he knew her to be, but at least it was something - a step in the right direction. A flash of anger flowed through him. How could Matt leave her like this? Didn't he know it would tear her apart? As quickly as the anger came it dissipated. If Matt had any control, he would walk through the door right now. Jeff knew that to be true. Matt hated to see people upset and his family was so important to him. Samantha was his everything. The idea that Matt would intentionally harm any of them was bogus.
Jeff heard footsteps scuffing along the floorboards outside the door. Samantha must be up. Jeff slowly rose from the bed and crept across the room. Carefully he turned the doorknob and opened the door. Peeking back at the bed as he tiptoed out of the room and closed the door behind him, hoping not to wake Kelly. Jeff caught sight of Samantha moving down the stairs as he closed the bedroom door. He followed quietly behind, down the stairs, through the dining room and into the kitchen. Samantha was standing before the refrigerator with the door open wide.
"Couldn't sleep?" Jeff asked as he approached the kitchen table.
"Not really, only a few minutes at a time. You?"
"No, everything's too quiet. My mind is racing." Jeff pulled out a chair and sat.
"Do you want anything?" Samantha asked as she took a carton of orange juice from the refrigerator.
"No, I'm good. Thanks." He replied.
Samantha poured herself a glass and returned the carton to the refrigerator.
Realizing this was the most Samantha had spoken in the last 24 hours; Jeff took advantage "How are you feeling?"
Samantha was quiet as she moved to the table, pulled out a chair across from him and sat down. She let out a deep sigh, looking for words. "I just can't believe what's happened. I'm still expecting to see him any moment. Every time I rolled over in our bed and felt the emptiness where he would be . . . " Samantha paused, heaving sighs, trying to avoid the emotional outburst she could sense approaching.
Jeff reached across the table, placing his hand over hers, gently squeezing to show his support.
When she had calmed herself, Samantha began again. "I miss him, Jeff."
"I know, Sam. I miss him too." Jeff conceded softly, almost a whisper.
Samantha saw the grief in his face now. "Oh God, Jeff. I'm so sorry." Tears welled in her eyes as guilt overcame her. "He was your brother and here you are taking care of me. How could I be so selfish?"
"Sam, listen to me. You do not feel badly. You needed that time to be able to move past it. I don't want you worrying about me. I'm fine." He said with a stern tone, attempting to reassure her. The both of them sat in silence. Jeff was the first to speak. "I think we could use a change of scenery. Kelly and I are driving down to Dad's. Say you'll come with us."
"I don't know about that. I'm not sure I'm up to it." Samantha answered.
"I know Dad wants to see you. I thought maybe we could have a memorial service for Matt at Mom's grave." Jeff continued, hoping to persuade her.
Finally, Samantha agreed. "That would be nice. Matt would like that." She replied, smiling softly at him.
TRAGEDY
Chapter 6: A Sleepless Night
The rest of the night had been quiet. Jeff found the calm eerie; He hadn't expected it. Didn't the whole know his brother was dead? In a pair of sweatpants, Jeff laid atop the covers. There was a chill in the room, but he was invigorated by it. His arms laid crossed above his head across the pillow, exposing the length of his torso to the briskness. Occasionally, a breeze from the open window across the room would whisper across his bare chest and send goose bumps running down his body.
Beside him a sigh broke through the night symphony of rustling leaves, chirping crickets and the hum of the electric lamps that lined the street. He turned his head slightly to see that Kelly was fast asleep beside him. His head moved back to its original position and he gazed once again at the ceiling above him. Kelly's emotions had been drained today. She was so exhausted when they finally lay upon the bed; she had fallen asleep in mere minutes. However, Jeff could not relax is mind. He wondered at the day's events. It was as if he was playing the whole day over in his head. Some moments slowed down and he could picture every minute detail of the room's surroundings, every inflection in each sentence, the feel of every touch. When the phone rang early that morning, even before he picked up the receiver, Jeff had known that he would remember this day always.
He looked toward the door to the hallway. Samantha's room was down the hall. He wondered if sleep had found her yet. She needed it desperately. His heart feared for her well being. The last hour had been better; she had spoken, even smiled a bit. It was nowhere near the upbeat, strong-willed woman he knew her to be, but at least it was something - a step in the right direction. A flash of anger flowed through him. How could Matt leave her like this? Didn't he know it would tear her apart? As quickly as the anger came it dissipated. If Matt had any control, he would walk through the door right now. Jeff knew that to be true. Matt hated to see people upset and his family was so important to him. Samantha was his everything. The idea that Matt would intentionally harm any of them was bogus.
Jeff heard footsteps scuffing along the floorboards outside the door. Samantha must be up. Jeff slowly rose from the bed and crept across the room. Carefully he turned the doorknob and opened the door. Peeking back at the bed as he tiptoed out of the room and closed the door behind him, hoping not to wake Kelly. Jeff caught sight of Samantha moving down the stairs as he closed the bedroom door. He followed quietly behind, down the stairs, through the dining room and into the kitchen. Samantha was standing before the refrigerator with the door open wide.
"Couldn't sleep?" Jeff asked as he approached the kitchen table.
"Not really, only a few minutes at a time. You?"
"No, everything's too quiet. My mind is racing." Jeff pulled out a chair and sat.
"Do you want anything?" Samantha asked as she took a carton of orange juice from the refrigerator.
"No, I'm good. Thanks." He replied.
Samantha poured herself a glass and returned the carton to the refrigerator.
Realizing this was the most Samantha had spoken in the last 24 hours; Jeff took advantage "How are you feeling?"
Samantha was quiet as she moved to the table, pulled out a chair across from him and sat down. She let out a deep sigh, looking for words. "I just can't believe what's happened. I'm still expecting to see him any moment. Every time I rolled over in our bed and felt the emptiness where he would be . . . " Samantha paused, heaving sighs, trying to avoid the emotional outburst she could sense approaching.
Jeff reached across the table, placing his hand over hers, gently squeezing to show his support.
When she had calmed herself, Samantha began again. "I miss him, Jeff."
"I know, Sam. I miss him too." Jeff conceded softly, almost a whisper.
Samantha saw the grief in his face now. "Oh God, Jeff. I'm so sorry." Tears welled in her eyes as guilt overcame her. "He was your brother and here you are taking care of me. How could I be so selfish?"
"Sam, listen to me. You do not feel badly. You needed that time to be able to move past it. I don't want you worrying about me. I'm fine." He said with a stern tone, attempting to reassure her. The both of them sat in silence. Jeff was the first to speak. "I think we could use a change of scenery. Kelly and I are driving down to Dad's. Say you'll come with us."
"I don't know about that. I'm not sure I'm up to it." Samantha answered.
"I know Dad wants to see you. I thought maybe we could have a memorial service for Matt at Mom's grave." Jeff continued, hoping to persuade her.
Finally, Samantha agreed. "That would be nice. Matt would like that." She replied, smiling softly at him.
